About

Court Square

Queens Memory Program Returns to Court Square Library

The Queens Memory Program returns to the Court Square Library with renewed vigor and historical interest. The Queens Memory staff will be onsite with our scanning kit to digitize your best holiday photographs taken from over the years. Donors will receive a free flash drive containing JPEG copies of their photographs.

Learn how to use computers; how to search the Queens Library Catalog and the Internet; how to create and use an e-mail account; how to use Microsoft Word 2010. For adults. Preregistration is required; maximum of 4 people. Class runs for one hour.

The Queens Memory Program returns to the Court Square Library with renewed vigor and historical interest. The Queens Memory staff will be onsite with our scanning kit to digitize your best holiday photographs taken from over the years. Donors will receive a free flash drive containing JPEG copies of their photographs.

ManyBabies NYC is a family resource nonprofit organization for children with special needs that offers free special education advocacy services to the community. Come learn more about how you can get one to one advocacy support, help understanding the IEP document, and support at your child’s mediation and/or IEP meetings.

Additional Program Dates/Locations

This is a recurring program. If registration is required, you must register individually.

How does the proposed rezoning of Long Island City impact you? Attorney Andrew Lehrer from Catholic Migration Services, part of a coalition of legal services, will explain your rights as tenants and answer questions following the presentation.

History

Long Island City is the largest community in Queens in both area and population. It consists of five neighborhoods: Astoria, north of Broadway; Hunter’s Point, south of Broadway to Newton Creek; Ravenswood, along the waterfront; Steinway on either side of Steinway Street, and Dutch Kills.

Hunter’s Point contains the railroad yards and most of the factories, light-industry plants, and fifty-story Citicorp tower. It was the principal western terminus of the Long Island Rail Road and the seat of an extensive freight business. Some of the most extensive oil refineries in the country were located in this portion of Long Island City, as well as also shipyards capable of building vessels of any size.

In 1895, Long Island City Businessman William Nelson accepted 7, 000 books as a payment for a debt. He offered the books to anyone who wanted to establish a library. Philanthropist Dr. Walter Frey and businessman George Clay took him up on this offer. The three presented their idea to Long Island City Mayor Horatio Sanford, who assigned $3000 to finance the library for one year. Jessie Hume served as the first librarian.

Almost one hundred years later, in October 1989, the Court Square Branch of the Queens Library system opened its doors to the public. Built by Citicorp as part of a 50 story office tower in Long Island City, the Court Square Branch was leased to the Queens Public Library for 30 years at $1 a year. The new branch got its name from the nearby historic landmark. The branch itself is approximately 2500sq.feet. It is unique for Queens Public Libraries in that it is the first time a branch library has been created in concert with a corporation in order to provide library materials to the general public. Another unique attribute of the Court Square branch is that approximately 80% of its customers live in areas other than Queens.

Friends Group

Hours & Locations

25-01 Jackson Avenue

Long Island City, NY 11101

(718) 937-2790

Mon

11:00 AM

-

7:00 PM

Tue

1:00 PM

-

6:00 PM

Wed

10:00 AM

-

6:00 PM

Thu

11:00 AM

-

7:00 PM

Fri

10:00 AM

-

6:00 PM

Sat

10:00 AM

-

5:00 PM

Sun

Closed

Parking Info

There is limited metered street parking in front of the library (45th Avenue) and streets surrounding the Citibank building. Non metered street parking is available in the area but it is very difficult to find an open space. There is a pay parking garage in back of the Court House on Court Square and Thompson Streets.